Eurasian Lynx tour of Estonia

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

In Estonia (as with everywhere we go) we carefully choose accommodation, suppliers and transportation that either minimise their effect on the environment or that help to contribute to its sustainable development.

On this trip we stay in all locally owned accommodation on the outskirts of the national park, these are old manor houses with large estates and as a result they have been producing lots of their own food for generations in their own farmland. They also have good land management for forestry (such as coppicing of woodlands on their grounds for the sustainable use of wood over many years).

As well as making sure that nearly all of the food consumed is locally sourced the accommodation we use validate their operations as top Eco-conscious manors with internationally audited certifications. Many historic wings and guest quarters have adopted the Green Key label or the EU Ecolabel. These frameworks require properties to pass routine, independent audits proving that they strictly monitor and reduce energy, water, chemical use, and waste management.

The places we stay at have also upgraded their power and plumbing in structures built during the 18th and 19th centuries to meet contemporary efficiency standards, northern Estonian manors implement structural and technical adaptations:

• Alternative Heating: These estates have transited away from high-emission systems, utilizing ground-source heat pumps and geothermal probes to handle the region's harsh winter climates.
• Thermal Insulation: Without damaging historic facades, properties install high-efficiency triple-glazed windows and localized individual climate control systems to prevent heat loss.
• Resource Optimization: Properties utilize LED lighting, motion sensors, central power switches, and strict low-flow plumbing fixtures to combat unnecessary electricity and water consumption.

We only use one vehicle for all of the transfers and wildlife watching activities, we have a range of vehicles we can use depending on the group size, so that we use smaller and more efficient cars for smaller group sizes and larger vehicles for larger groups, where the carbon impact is lessened by being divided by more people.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Manors that we use as accommodation optimise daily routines to protect the surrounding northern wilderness:

• Biodegradable Products: Cleaning workflows are restricted strictly to natural, certified eco-friendly products to avoid hazardous chemical runoff into local ecosystems.
• Zero-Waste Initiatives: Estates focus heavily on minimizing single-use items, opting instead for recycled paper supplies, reusable textiles, and robust waste-sorting systems that isolate hazardous components like batteries.

We also contribute to these studies by providing all of our camera trap images and data on sightings. All of which is crucial help for the ongoing conservation of the Eurasian lynx and other rare species in the area. On this particular trip our local guides have experience working with large and small conservation bodies such as Felis or by supporting reserves where researchers are based, such as small cat scientists.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

On this trip all of the accommodation we stay at are locally owned. They have land bordering or very close to the national park and employ people from the local area. However Estonia is a small country and so nearly everyone is local to every area. But certainly our local guides and drivers are from the immediate areas around where we look for wildlife.

This not just helps in supporting the local people with income direct from wildlife tourism but these local people often have much better local knowledge of the wildlife. In fact most of the knowledge of how to look for Eurasian lynx comes from these local guides living the area and seeing this species as they have grown up.

We encourage the purchasing of locally crafted souvenirs.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

All of the people employed as part of this trip are from Estonia and many of the drivers we employ are from the local communities we are visiting for wildlife. We work hard to provide a genuine pathway from driver to guide, by helping educate English speaking as well as providing coaching and informal training on guiding techniques. We also donate equipment which can help in this progression in the form of binoculars, field guide books and torches.

This trip, like all of our trips, is LGBTQ+ friendly.

Nearly all of this trip is conducted from a vehicle, however some walking may be needed, to get closer to wildlife and this walking will be done on uneven ground and often in deep snow - which can be difficult to walk in for people with severe mobility issues will struggle, the trip is not wheelchair safe.